Of Other Lands
by You've Got To Be Kidding
Summary: Aslan’s laws have not been kept in every land…


Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia belong to C.S. Lewis, not me.

**

* * *

**

Of Other Lands

The islanders were adamant: Edmund and Lucy Pevensie should be wed.

Those in question were much against the marriage but their opponents did not appear to be willing to concede the matter. Caspian, Reepicheep, and Drinian had attempted to reason with them but had been thrown in a primitive island dungeon for their trouble. It was little more than a cave, but it was enough to contain two Men and a Mouse (if they were bound and tortured).

The local residents had found Edmund, Lucy, Eustace, and their sailor friend Vinley on the other side of the island and had made quick work of them as well. Drinian and Vinley were the largest of the crew and as such had been assigned to guard any adventurers in anticipation of new attacks (the slave market was still fresh in their minds), but disarmed and outnumbered, their chances had been slim.

Most regrettably, as soon as the Governor had discovered who Edmund and Lucy were he had apparently decided that he'd found prizes worth tormenting. Lucy had managed to run away, but she had been found and returned by Governor Balkorr's men. These had quarantined the young King and Queen with Eustace and the simpering Vinley, who, despite being strong and able, apparently did not hold up well under pressure. As the others were still aboard the Dawn Treader Edmund doubted anyone would come after them until it was too late; he and Lucy both would have died before agreeing to the marriage and it was looking more and more as though their death was imminent.

To top it all off Eustace had whined and wailed until Governor Balkorr had thrown him out of the room they were being held in, so in addition to the islanders' unfathomable demands for him to be married to his sister Edmund now had to consider the whereabouts of his simpering cousin; by the time he found himself face to face with the Governor it had been a trying day.

"Maybe it isn't so wrong," suggested Vinley, trying to ignore the shouts of Eustace and the guards which were coming through the wall. He was tired of fighting and he was getting a headache. "Maybe things are different here."

"So different that Aslan would bless the marriage of me and _my sister_?" demanded Edmund furiously.

Vinley was silent.

"You could always pretend you're not related," said the maid who had come in with Governor Balkorr sweetly. "It's all right."

Lucy was offended. "That would _not_ be all right! We could pretend ourselves into oblivion and Aslan would always know the truth!"

Edmund felt the same. "Stop this nonsense. In the name of Aslan, I command you, release us!"

"Oh _Aslan_," said the maid. "Of course, my King, all is done in Aslan's name. Why, we only want you to be married because it is what he would want. He even told us so."

"Aslan would never allow it," said Edmund, shaking his head. He had only been two hours on this island but he did not believe these people knew who Aslan was. "Not ever. Not for any reason."

"Nor would we!" added Lucy.

"Nay," agreed Edmund.

"Of course he would!" said the maid, ignoring the latter argument. Her smile turned cunning. "Why, just ask him."

"He isn't here, you fool," said Vinley, exasperated. They had been forced to listen to these ridiculous arguments for half of an hour, but this was the most outrageous yet.

Edmund's eyes lit like fire. "He is always with us, and he would never approve," said Edmund severely.

The maid turned to Lucy, her smile dark and pretty. She turned her by the shoulders to face her brother. "He's quite handsome, isn't he dear? He would make a fine husband."

Lucy had never been made to think of this and she went very pink. She supposed Edmund was handsome, but more importantly he was her brother. She did not believe what he looked like was worth anything in this discussion, which she did not think they ought to be having anyway, but this was an assault she had not been trained to contest.

"I," she began. "I don't-"

Edmund removed the maid's fingers and stepped in front of Lucy. "Leave her alone."

The maid pretended that his slight did not smart. "Oh but surely you've considered it…" she wheedled. "There's no harm in only _thinking_ about it…"

"Never," said Edmund and Lucy together. They would not have dishonored Aslan or each other so. The idea had never, in fact, entered their minds before this moment.

But the Governor's maid had done with Lucy, and she focused her attention on Edmund. As soon as he had stepped far enough in front of his sister the maid took his wrist and spun around him in circles, smiling as she let her hair down, and Edmund followed her with his eyes. She was beautiful, and Edmund suddenly had the unexpected desire to do whatever she asked of him.

"Come now, my King," she whispered. "For me?"

"Well," he murmured, forgetting entirely what she was asking of him, "well perhaps…"

He heard a horrified gasp and abruptly he was facing Lucy. The maid scraped her fingers across Edmund's arm but he ignored her as he caught the fear in his sister's eyes.

"No," he said, his voice strong once more.

The Governor had lost patience. "Enough of this. Virdorr!"

The door was opened and a burly guard entered, his hands full of a nasty-looking rope.

"Remove the distraction," said Balkorr callously. This was confusing for only a moment; Virdorr had the Queen in his arms in a matter of moments.

"Hey!" yelled Edmund. Both he and Vinley ran for the guard, but Edmund was shoved aside and the Governor had knocked the sailor down and out before he ever reached Virdorr. Only the valiant Lucy was silent; she could not see what good it would do to cry now. Edmund heard the door slam behind the guard and he flew at it, heedless of the number of times he was cast down.

The guard came back for Vinley and Edmund paused to knock him unconscious before being beaten again by the Governor.

The Just King could endure nearly anything and remain in command but when his family was threatened he lost control. His lack of it cost him now. He was contained, weaponless, and not as strong as he had been once, and he was eventually thrown into a corner from which he could not rise. But Edmund would not be intimidated, and he continued to look the Governor in the face.

Balkorr stood above him, malice in his eyes. "Those idiots may say anything they like, but no one here believes in lions in the sky."

"What!" said Edmund, stung to hear his King spoken of so flippantly in a land which claimed to love him, though after everything else that had been said, he could not really be surprised. But he couldn't help wanting to defend the one who had given him so much, though he knew Aslan didn't need defending. "Only a fool would believe that Aslan is some 'lion in the sky!' He's real, and you will know it, now or when you die."

Governor Balkorr ignored him. "I do not command you to marry your sister for the sake of anyone but myself. It is our custom here to do as we please; if you will not allow us to lie with whomever we like we will see _you_ are forced to lie with whomever _we_ like."

Edmund had a sudden flash of memory; the last time they had come to Narnia the Pevensies had been dismayed to learn that its outlying provinces had allowed such immense degradation of their people. Caspian had told them of Governors in lands he had heard of, far out in the islands, which allowed detestable wickedness to occur. On one such island, said the Telmarines, men lay with men and orgies were constant.

The High King Peter had asked Caspian to declare a law condemning such practices in the name of Aslan, and he had. But they had never imagined that those practices included forcing siblings to marry. And Edmund was sure Caspian had told him aboard the Dawn Treader that such iniquity had been stamped out. He glared at Governor Balkorr. Apparently the law had been heard of here, but it had obviously not been stamped out.

Balkorr grinned. "It can be enjoyable, _King_ Edmund. Try it. Just give in. You'll soon find you won't mind if I send you a few of my maids when you're done with your sister." He smiled knowingly at the maid in the corner. "Amalinn thinks very highly of you. And who knows? Perhaps when you've finished with your little Queen you'll be grateful enough to give her to me."

Edmund spat at him, and the Governor dispensed with enticement. He kicked Edmund and glared at him.

"Marry your sister," said Balkorr harshly, "or she will die." His mouth curled evilly. "The choice is yours." He seized Amalinn and walked out of the room, shutting the door in Edmund's face.

NNNNNNNNNN

His choice was horrible on many counts; Edmund knew that Lucy would have told him to let her die rather than destroy them both this way, and if he could think of no means of escape (and there did not appear to be any) it really seemed the only honorable thing to do. On the other hand, Lucy's not being there made it necessary for him to save her life, and marrying her seemed to be the only way to do it.

He shook his head. He would not defile his sister that way. But as he sat alone with his wretched thoughts he recalled what more the Telmarines had said about this island… the inhabitants believed in torture… strong torture… Lucy would die a very long and painful death.

Edmund slammed his fist into the wall.

He _had _to marry her… they could escape as soon as they were married… perhaps it wouldn't be so bad… perhaps Amalinn was right- they could pretend they weren't related… they didn't have to act like married people… Lucy would forgive him anything; perhaps she would forgive him even this. Edmund closed his eyes. He was shaking.

_No._

There had to be another way.

"Aslan," he mumbled, unaware he had spoken aloud. "Aslan, please help…"

Edmund wept.

NNNNNNNNNN

Edmund's prayer was answered. He knew not how, but when his eyes were opened he was staring at the Lion.

"Go to Lucy," said Edmund, half-crazed as he thought of what the Governor might be doing to her. Then, realizing to whom he was speaking, Edmund fell at the Lion's feet. He knew Aslan would know what he had thought of doing. "Forgive me, Aslan," he whispered. "Please go to Lucy. They are- they are-" But he could not finish. Tears streamed down his face as he thought of what might be happening to his sister as he spoke.

"Your sister is all right, Edmund," said Aslan gently. "I am with her, too. She is in good spirits, Child."

Edmund clutched at his mane and wept in relief. Suddenly he heard moaning from the floor and looked down to find that the guard had awoken.

"Help him," suggested Aslan. Edmund did not wish to, but he knew better than to defy the Lion. He helped Virdorr to his feet. The guard was obviously confused when he looked at Aslan.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I am he whom you have ridiculed and denied," said the Lion. "I am Aslan."

Virdorr's mouth fell open and he seemed to be trying to say something, but he could not. Aslan looked at both Edmund and the guard very fiercely.

"No one is to marry his sister," said Aslan firmly. "It would be an abomination."

Virdorr clearly disagreed, but there was little he could say in the face of such raw power. "Well," he tried, intent upon a debate, "suppose she was only his _half_ sister. Then even you would have to admit-"

"No one is to marry either his mother's daughter or his father's daughter," said Aslan severely.

"Oh but _I've _done worse than that," scoffed Virdorr, "and nothing has ever happened to me that-"

"Yes, and well I know it," said Aslan, looking him in the eye. The guard stopped talking; he was suddenly frightened and ashamed. "You will serve the penalty for your transgression," said Aslan. "Do not think that you have escaped my wrath." The guard suddenly appeared to realize who he was speaking to. He trembled, and Aslan waited for him to say something else; when he did not, the great Lion turned back to Edmund.

"You will not marry your sister."

"But she'll be tortured," whispered Edmund. It wasn't said in defiance, only broken misery. Of course he couldn't marry her.

"Lucy trusts me," said Aslan gently. "So must you. Take courage, Edmund. There are other ways."

Edmund nodded. "I will," he said, and closed his eyes. When he opened them, Aslan was gone.

NNNNNNNNNN

"I will not send my sister to be killed," said Edmund firmly, and the Governor's eyes lit up. "But neither will I marry her."

"Then perhaps Your Highness has thought of another way…." Edmund had expected fury, but Balkorr's smile was too open; he sounded too much a fool. Edmund knew he was missing something. Then suddenly- too suddenly- he understood.

"Take me," he said, amazed he had not thought to offer himself sooner. "Take me instead."

Balkorr's smile widened. "Done."

He rapped on the wall beside him; almost immediately Lucy was brought in and released. Edmund refrained from holding his arms out to her, and she refrained from running into them. They were both wary, though they spoke volumes with their eyes. Balkorr commanded his guard to grab the Queen, but Virdorr was still frightened enough that he would not. The Governor cared very little. He sneered at Lucy as he threw her down, enjoying the fury he saw in Edmund's eyes.

"You will watch your brother die."

"No," whispered Lucy, but she knew better than to cry out; that would only make things worse for her brother.

The moment Balkorr had his knife up to gut the King, Caspian, Drinian, and Reepicheep burst into the room, swords drawn. They killed the islanders (who they fought in clean battle but who had refused to surrender) within minutes.

Lucy finally allowed herself to run to Edmund. "Are you all right?" he asked her, and she nodded as they helped a recently roused Vinley to stand.

"Thank you for not giving up, Ed," she whispered. "If you had you know we'd both be dead. I don't think Aslan would have given the others the speed to reach us in time if you had given in."

Edmund felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle; he was sure that she was right. He turned to Caspian and Drinian (The Mouse had gone to rescue a sniveling Eustace). "How did you escape?"

"Aslan," said Caspian, and Edmund smiled, thankful to the Lion once again.

"Of course."

He held his sister close as she finally let herself cry.


End file.
